media-releases

BUILDING EVEN MORE KINDERS ACROSS VICTORIA

October 9, 2018

More kinders, integrated children’s hubs and upgraded early years facilities are on the way for Victorian families and their children, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Early Childhood Education Jenny Mikakos and Member for Yuroke Ros Spence today announced that more than 50 projects will be funded through the 2018-19 major grants round of the Children’s Facilities Capital Program.

It includes $1,551,826.00 for Merrifield West – Northern Community Hub so that local children can make the most out of their early years education. This new hub will deliver 3 preschool rooms (each room is licensed for 33 places resulting in 99 licensed preschool places or 198 preschool positions), 5 maternal and child health services / visiting specialist services consulting rooms and waiting area, multipurpose activity rooms to support early years and community activities (for programs such as playgroups, new parents groups, enhanced playgroups, planned activity groups, meeting and training). The facility will also be designed to provide flexible arts / cultural / community spaces where other activities / events can take place for new residents. Space for foyer, amenities, staff, kitchen are also included.

The funding is part of a $43 million investment for kinder capital projects – the single largest round of state investment in early childhood infrastructure in Victoria.

Local councils and kinder services across the state will be provided funding to build new integrated children’s centres, integrate their service delivery and upgrade existing facilities to boost their number of kinder places.

This includes funding to build almost 20 brand new early learning centres to provide vital early years and family services under one roof.

Meanwhile, 37 existing early learning facilities will receive grants of up to $350,000 to upgrade and extend so they can offer more kinder places and improve their learning spaces.

These projects include refurbishing outdoor play and learning spaces and upgrading and extending indoor rooms to create more kinder places.

Building the Education State starts with early learning, which is why a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will invest almost $5 billion to give every Victorian child an extra year of kinder. This ambitious reform will begin to roll out in 2020, with every three-year-old in the state to benefit by 2022.

Since 2014, the Labor Government has invested a record $123.6 million to build, expand and improve early years infrastructure across Victoria to ensure local families can continue to access great local kindergartens. This will lead to an estimated 8,250 additional kindergarten places for 3- and 4-year-olds, as well as hundreds of new and revamped early learning facilities and playgroups since 2014.

This work builds on the Labor Government’s landmark $202.1 million Education State Early Childhood Reform Plan, which recognises the importance of giving families support in early childhood so kids are ready for kinder, ready for school and ready for life.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Jenny Mikakos

“Making Victoria the Education State starts with the early years – which is why we’re delivering unprecedented investment in kinder infrastructure.”

“We’re building new kinders and children’s centres and upgrading existing facilities across Victoria so our children can get the most out of their kinder years. There will be a lot more kinder construction activity to come under a re-elected Andrews Labor Government as we implement our revolutionary plan to provide three-year-old kinder to all Victorian children.””

Quotes attributable to Member for Yuroke Ros Spence

“Investment in the early years is a no brainer – there’s nothing that is more impactful than supporting education and development in these vital years.”

“I’m so pleased we’re delivering an upgraded early learning centre in Mickleham so that more local families can reap the benefits of early learning.”